other countries, for the purpose, will gradually diffuse the purifying light of revelation throughout the earth: And is there less ground to hope, that universal and perpetual peace might be the ultimate effect of similar Associations for the abolition of war? Blessed be God, similar Associations for the abolition of war are already in existence and operation. Beside other movements of the kind in America and Europe, a "Peace Society," fo which, among many others. a considerable number of our most enlightened and virtuous civilians belong, has been organized in this Commonwealth; and impressive publications, tending to illustrate and enforce the subject now submitted to your deliberation, have simultaneously issued from numerous pens, on both sides the Atlantic; a subject, to which interest, as well as duty, bumanity, as well as religion, urges your most serious attention. "Consider of it, take advice, and speak your minds."

In Convention of Ministers, 29th May, 1816, Dr. Worcester, from the Committee, appointed last year, to consider, whether it is expedient for this Convention to adopt any measure, or measures, and, if any, what, to correct the public mind on the subject of war, made a report, and read an address to the public, which the Committee recommended to be published.-Whereupon voted,

That this address to the community, on the subject of war be recommitted to Dr. Worcester, Mr. Packard, of Marlborough, and President Kirkland, to be by them revised and published, as containing the sentiments of this Convention.

A true copy from the records,

JOHN PRICE, Scribe.

EXTRACT FROM COWPER.

THE groans of nature in this nether world,
Which Heav'n has heard for ages, have an end.
Foretold by prophets, and by poets sung,
Whose fire was kindled at the prophet's lamp:
The time of rest, the promis'd sabbath comes.

Six thousand years of sorrow have well nigh
Fulfilled their tardy and disastrous course
Över a sinful world; and what remains
Of this tempestuous state of human things,
Is merely as the working of a sea

Before a calm, that rocks itself to rest:

For He, whose car the winds are, and the clouds,
The dust that waits upon his sultry march,
When sin hath mov'd him, and his wrath is hot,
Shall visit earth in mercy; shall descend
Propitious in his chariot pav'd with love;
And what his storms have blasted and defac'd
For man's revolt, shall with a smile repair.

LINES FROM COWPER.

BUT is it fit, or can it bear the shock
Of rational discussion, that a man,
Compounded and made up like other men,

Of elements tumultuous, in whom lust
And folly in as ample manner meet,
As in the bosoms of the slaves he rules,
Should be a despot absolute, and boast
Himself the only freeman of his land?
Should, when he pleases, and on whom he will,
Wage war, with any, or with no pretence
Of provocation given, or wrong sustain'd,
And force the beggarly last doit by means
That his own humor dictates, from the clutch
Of poverty, that thus he may procure
His thousands, weary of penurious life,
A splendid opportunity to die.

ENCOURAGING FACTS.

In addition to the noble stand taken by the Massachusetts Convention of Congregational Ministers, and the rapid and extensive circulation of peace pamphlets in our own country, we are enabled to state with confidence, that Peace sentiments are gaining ground in

PROCEEDINGS OF THE MASSACHUSETTS CONVENTION OF CONGREGATIONAL MINISTERS, MAY, 1816.

In the second number of the Friend of Peace, among other" encouraging facts," it was stated, that the Massachusetts Convention of Congregational Ministers, bad appointed a committee consisting of Rev. Dr. Worcester, of Salem, Rev. Mr. Channing, of Boston, Rev. Dr. Kirkland, President of Harvard University, Rev. Mr. Foster, of Brighton, and Rev. Dr. Osgood of Medfordto consider whether it be expedient for this Convention to adopt any measure, or measures, and if any, what, to correct the public mind on the subject of war.' We have now the pleasure of presenting to our readers a Report of the Committee, and an Address to the public, as adopted by the Convention.

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These, at a future period, will probably be regarded as among the most interesting documents, which ever had their origin in a numerous assembly of the Ministers, of religion. They exhibit a union of a large and respectable body of clergymen, in a cause whose importance is not exceeded by any other which it is possible to name, of ministers too, who, on other questions, are divided in their opinions. Here, then, we have a rare and pleasing example of ministers of religion, en. tertaining on some points discordant views, laying aside all party passions and prejudices, and with the greatest appearance of cordiality, uniting, as the disciples of the Prince of Peace, to make an impression on the public mind against the antichristian and desolating custom of war. It is believed that history furnishes no records of the proceedings of any Ecclesiastical Body since the days of the Apostles, more consonant to the spirit of the gospel, more becoming the ministers of Christ, or which have promised greater benefits to the human family. To give place to these important documents, it has been necessary to postpone some agreeable communications.

The proceedings of the Convention as a body, were followed and enforced by an able, eloquent, and impressive sermon, addressed to the Convention on the subect of war, by Rev. W. E. Channing, of Boston. The

description which was given of the miseries, the horrors, and the crimes of war, might well make any Christian tremble at the thought of appearing again as an advocate for such a detestable custom. Happy it would be for the human race, if such views of war could be diffused throughout the world.

Report of a Committee appointed by the Massachusetts Convention of Congregational Ministers, on the subject of War.

THE Committee appointed the last year, "to consider whether it be expedient for this Convention to adopt any measures, and if any, what, to correct the public mind on the subject of war," have attended that service, and beg leave to report,

That, as war is one of the greatest of human evils, and the popular opinions respecting it are among the most pernicious of human errors, it highly becomes the ministers of the Prince of Peace, and the religious instructors of mankind, to employ their united influence and endeavors for its prevention and abolition. Your Committee have great pleasure in stating, that, since the last meeting of the Convention, an Association has been formed, which takes the name of the Massachusetts Peace Society, and which is already very respectable in numbers and in weight of character. They would, therefore, respectfully recommend, that the members of this Convention should become members of that society; and that they severally use their influence to induce others to become members, and to promote the formation of Auxiliary Peace Societies, in their respective towns or vicinities. Your Committee also beg leave to submit to the Convention an Address to the community at large, on the subject of war, which they have seen fit to prepare for consideration.

By order of the Committee,

S. WORCESTER, Chairman.

BOSTON, May 29, 1816.

The Address reported by the above named Committee, and accepted by the Convention.

The Convention of Congregational Ministers in Mas sachusetts, impelled by a sense of duty, and solicitious to

Great Britain. The subject has been taken up and ably discussed in the Philanthropist, a (quarterly periodical work published in London, and we have just received an animating Sermon preached at Glasgow in January, 1816, on the subject of" Universal Peace." We may add, that, from private letters received in this country, there is reason to believe, that one Peace Society, if no more, has already been formed in England.

A JUST REFLECTION.

"WHEN Will a sufficient number of instances have been recorded by the pen of history, of nations harrassing each other by the outrages of war, and after years of havock and bloodshed, when exhausted by exertions beyond their natural strength, agreeing to forget the original subject of dispute, and mutually to resume the station which they occupied at the commencement of the contest? Were subjects wise, what would be their reflections when their rulers, after the most lavish waste of blood, coolly sit down and propose to each other the status quo ante bellum ?-Happy would it be, could the status quo be extended to the widow and the orphan, to the thousands and tens of thousands, who, in consequence of the hardships and accidents of war, are doomed to languish out the remnant of their lives in torment and decrepitude!"

Shepherd's life of Poggio Bracciolini, page 17.

WERE it not for the general insanity which accompa nies war, it would be reasonable to suppose, that after the sacrifice of several hundreds of millions of property, and "the most lavish waste of blood," the rulers of contending nations-unless they regard their subjects as idiots, would wish for some language less known than the Latin, in which "to propose to each other," and report to the world, "the status quo ante bellum." For those who un

and willing to re

derstand the language, and are able dect, may see, that when peace between two Christian

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